Larry Madowo: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Tech- Savvy Journalist

By Lilian Wamaitha

Assertive and outspoken is Larry Omondi Madowo. He is one of the most popular and recognizable faces in Kenyan television. Larry has become a household name. We all know him from the Trend which airs every Friday on NTV. Apart from hosting the show, Larry is also a news anchor, radio host, technology editor and has a column in the Tuesday Daily Nation called the FrontRow.

Larry has grown up before our eyes, career wise I mean. Like most successful people, his journey has been full of challenges. He may appear the most jovial journalist but get to know him and you will realized that his life has been a struggle. However despite this he continues to scale the heights of success and works hard to be better than he is right now.

Here are a few things you didn’t know about the iconic TV personality

1. Things aren’t always what they seem

Unlike what most people think, Larry did not grow up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He comes from a middle class family like most of us.

He lost his mother who was a primary school teacher when he was still very young. He and his sister Liz Madowo had to move in with their aunt in Nairobi.

To earn a little cash, Larry helped his auntie who had a hotel in Gikomba, hawking mandazis and tea. This however did not stop him from aspiring to be something bigger.

2. He wanted to be a priest

Young Larry would develop a passion to become a man of the cloth at a very tender age. His love for the church and priesthood would see him enroll at St. Gabriel Seminary School where he got to learn a lot about the vocation.

However things would take a turn when he moved out of the village. Here he got to learn about other aspects of life away from what he was used to in the village and  his priorities to be a priest changed.

3. Success is a journey

Larry developed an interest in journalism when he was still in high school. He has recently confessed that he got a B- in his KCSE. While other students were busy revising for the exams, he in the process of finishing up a good novel.

When he enrolled at Daystar University, He had to choose between studying Law or Journalism and he chose to go with journalism.

Looking up to Louis Otieno and Lilian Muli he joined KTN as an intern on the News Desk. He would later be transferred to the business desk where he sharpened his journalism skills.

He would later on move to CNBC in South Africa and later come back to Kenya to work for NTV.

Larry has always considered himself a technology genius and the reality is not far from it. While still at KTN pioneered the development of  Facebook and Twitter accounts for KTN, making it the first media house to have a social media presence in Kenya at that time.

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4. He dropped out of university

Larry cheekily considers himself a ‘professional drop out’. A course that was supposed to take him a mere four year took him six. At that time he would drop out of school to take up an internship at KTN something that he doesn’t regret.

“Its coz of money, work and just because I was young and foolish,” says the hilarious Larry.

He says that you have to make tough decisions so that you can succeed in life. Were it not for his bold move, he wouldn’t be the man he is today.

5. His life as a celebrity

Among many things Larry is a blogger. He has traveled and reported news from over 30 countries in the world and was the first Africa journalists to have a verified Twitter account where he has hundreds of thousands of followers.

So has fame gotten into his head like it does to other celebrities?

The Trend host says that, “My personality has never changed and anybody who knows me will tell you that. I am just heavily opinionated and when I enter a room you will notice me and that is the same personality I brought to TV.”

However witty Larry may seem, you must admit that he is good at what he does. Watching the trend has become a thing to look forward to every Friday. He has revolutionalized the way TV anchors carry themselves in front of the camera.

Larry will never be scared to be goofy or funny when he is in front of those cameras. It goes without saying that he makes watching TV worthy it.

Got any Comments about this story? Feel free to leave them below. 

Read Also: Edith Kimani: The Journalist Who started as the Kenya’s Youngest News Anchor At 19 Years 

Lilian is a Communications Officer at Career Point Kenya. Contact her via lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke